Guardian and Angel
by PsychoGeek
Summary: He became her guardian; she became his angel. When Daryl saves a young woman's life, the two begin to form a bond. But will it survive the up-and-downs of this walker-ridden world...? Daryl/OC, Daryl-centric, but other characters will appear. Rated T for violence.
1. The Rescue

**I finally decided to start _Walking Dead _fic...yes, I did. :) It will be Daryl-centric, but most of the main characters will show up. I'm starting out in the 2nd season, but I'll figure out exactly where within a couple of chapters. This chapter is more of a prologue/test run to see how readers will react... :D**

**Also, Sage's faceclaim is Jaimie Alexander, so if you want to look her up, that'll give you a better mental picture of Sage. I should be adding a link on my profile soon, one for a picture of Jaimie Alexander. :)**

**Disclaimer: This is just a fic; I do not own _The Walking Dead _or Daryl or anyone else that you recognize. All I own is Sage...and the plot mostly. :)**

* * *

"Go," Rick ordered. "I'll cover you..."

Daryl nodded and the two men exited the pickup truck, turning sharply at any sound. A walker loomed behind them, but Rick took it out with a bullet. Daryl sped toward the abandoned pharmacy, stopping briefly to kick in the door. He walked into the front room of the building, with Rick right behind him.

"According to Hershel, the medicine should be somewhere in here," Rick said.

"Yeah, if nobody looted the place," Daryl grunted.

Rick jumped the counter and began to study the medicine bottles, as Daryl wandered around the pharmacy.

A sound came from the back room, and Daryl moved quickly to the door, scanning in every direction before he went in. There was a groan, followed by the guttural growl that could only be a walker. Daryl followed the sound to the back of room and crept forward, crouching low to the floor. He saw two walkers and quickly dispatched them each with an arrow. He froze when he heard another groan. As he looked around the room, he suddenly saw what the walkers had been approaching, and where the scream had come from.

A young woman was pinned under a section of the wall...

She was covered in dust, and struggling against the wood that held her to the floor. She glanced up at Daryl, silently imploring him to help. Something about this young woman touched the protective side to Daryl, and he knelt down beside her, taking ahold of the wood section.

"Easy," he said in a low voice. "When I lift this, you crawl out..."

The young woman nodded and Daryl lifted the section, grunting slightly with the effort. The young woman scrambled out from under the section and Daryl let it fall. He stood and faced the young woman, sizing her up as they kept their distance.

She was only a couple inches shorter than Daryl, with a slightly-curvy, athletic figure and flashing hazel eyes. Her dark brown hair was pulled into a loose braid, with several strands falling loose to curve around her angular face. Her jeans and t-shirt were covered with dust and grime, and both a Glock and a hunting knife were hanging from her belt.

"Thanks..." she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Who are you?" Daryl asked. "What's your name?"

"Sage," she replied. "Yours?"

"Daryl," he mumbled. "They didn't bite ya, did they?"

Sage shook her head and brushed off her clothes.

"Who're you here with?" Daryl continued.

"No one...I'm on my own, now..."

Daryl was about to reply when Rick's voice boomed from the doorway.

"Who's she?" he asked, eyeing Sage.

"Sage Mason," she introduced, stepping up to Rick and holding out her hand. "Your friend just saved my life..."

Rick shook her outstretched hand, and glanced at Daryl, who gave him a small nod.

"She's out here on her own," Daryl said lowly, his gaze flickering between Rick and Sage..

"We can't leave her here, that's for sure," Rick replied. "But we can't just bring her back to the farm, not without knowing anything about her..."

As he spoke, Rick flailed his hand. And Sage flinched, ever-so-slightly...

But Daryl saw it.

He saw Sage wince and take a small step back. True, she was probably just in shock and scared. But there was something more, something in her reaction that Daryl recognized. Something that he had seen in himself growing up...

"I'm not going to hurt anybody," Sage spoke up. "I'm not infected..."

"We can't leave her here," Daryl said firmly. "Walkers'll find her soon as we leave."

"Okay," Rick sighed. "But if you cause any trouble-"

"I won't," Sage promised.

Rick took a deep breath and nodded. The young woman was obviously desperate to get out of the ghost town...

"We got what we need," he said. "Let's get back to the farm."

Rick walked out of the room, leaving Daryl and Sage alone. She cleared her throat and gave Daryl a small smile.

"Thanks again," she said, a hint of a southern accent in her voice. "I swear I won't make any trouble..."

"Just come on," he shrugged. "Pickup's outside..."

Sage followed Daryl out of the pharmacy. When they reached the pickup, she climbed into the back, and Daryl glanced at Rick before following her into the back. Rick started the engine and and the truck pulled down the road.

Sage felt a surge of relief as they left the town behind, but she had to remind herself that she was with two men that she knew nothing about. If they wanted, they could stop and at time and kill her, or worse...

"So, what were you doin' in there?" Daryl asked

"Lookin' for medicine, same as you," the brunette replied. "I was checking the back, when part of the wall caved in. I was stuck for probably half an hour when those walkers showed up..." she let out a nervous laugh before continuing, "I thought I was gonna die...then you showed up."

Daryl nodded.

"What about you?" Sage looked at him. "I know you were there for medicine, but why? Someone hurt?"

"Yeah, a little boy," Daryl mumbled. "Got shot..."

Sage frowned and looked away. She watched the passing scenery for a minute, before turning back to Daryl. His features had been hardened by rough living, but she could still see a softness under the surface. He was somewhat relaxed, facing toward the back of the pickup, but his light green eyes were alert and seemed to catch every detail. Sage wondered if he ever truly relaxed...

"Got somethin' on your mind?" Daryl's voice interrupted her thoughts. "You been starin' at me for the past five minutes."

Sage felt her face begin to burn and she knew she was turning red. She really hadn't meant to stare...

"Just tryin' to figure you out," she admitted.

"Ain't really nothin' to figure out," Daryl grunted. "And trust me, you don't wanna know about me..."

Sage leaned back and let Daryl's words sink in. Maybe he was right and she should just let it go...but still, her curiosity was piqued.

Daryl couldn't help but smirk at Sage's curiosity...he even found it slightly complementary. He himself was curious, about where she came from, who she'd been with...

He shook those thoughts from his head; he knew almost nothing about this girl, and he certainly didn't need or want to know any more...

* * *

**So there it is... What did you think? :) I love reviews, so please leave one when you've finished reading! xD If you've got any suggestions as to how I could make this fic better, feel free to PM me or review.  
**

**One last thing: I know a lot of Daryl/OC fics tend to make Carol out as a bad guy or an obstacle to their relationship. While I don't mind those kind of fics, this won't be one of them; I plan on keeping Carol as more of a maternal figure for Sage, and she won't really have any jealousy issues. :)**

**Kristy :3**


	2. Meeting The Group

**Yay, an update! However, I must warn you that I might not always be able to update this quickly, so please be patient with me and this fic. I've got several ideas for the next chapter, but I've still got to sort them out. :)  
**

**Thank you to _bnburke90_ for being a wonderful reviewer! I really do appreciate those who take time to leave reviews... :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own _The Walking Dead _or Daryl...but I do own Sage and the plot that is not directly from the episodes.**

* * *

As the pickup pulled into the dirt driveway, Sage sat up to take in the new surroundings. She glanced around and sat back with a small smile. Daryl raised an inquiring eyebrow at the brunette.

"This is the Greene farm," she said.

"Yeah, and?" Daryl asked.

"I've seen it from a distance," Sage continued with a small shrug. "Always wondered what it was like up close..."

"Well, you can find out for yourself," Daryl said.

The pickup pulled up to the house and Rick shut the engine off. He darted out of the cab and into the house without a word, leaving Daryl and Sage alone again.

"Guess I'd better meet the group?" Sage asked, the uncertainty creeping into her voice.

"Guess you better," Daryl mumbled.

Slinging his crossbow over his shoulder, he hopped out of the back of the pickup and waited for Sage to do the same. She followed him up the steps, but stopped before they reached the door. Daryl turned to her and crossed his arms.

"Maybe I should wait a while..." Sage chewed on her lower lip. "I mean, if you've got a wounded little boy in there, I don't know how your group might react to a complete stranger bargin' in-"

"You ain't barging," Daryl interrupted. "We brought ya here, didn't we?"

Sage didn't reply. She wanted to go in, she wanted to be part of a group, but still...what if they didn't like her? What if they decided to send her back to the town?

"Just go on in," Daryl sighed. "Ain't nobody gonna hurt ya, I swear..."

Sage took a deep breath and nodded. Daryl gave her a slight smile and opened the door. He motioned for her to follow him, and she did. He led her to the room where Carl was kept. Rick stood up from his chair and nodded at Sage.

"Hey," he acknowledged. "I'm Rick, and this is my wife, Lori, and my son, Carl."

"Hi," Sage smiled, ignoring the anxiety. "I'm Sage."

"Rick told us about you," Lori leaned forward and held out her hand. "I'm glad they brought you back."

As Sage shook Lori's hand, her gaze drifted to the bed and the older man standing next to it.

"This is Hershel Greene," Rick introduced. "He owns this farm."

Hershel gave Sage a small nod before continuing his work on Carl.

"Daryl, would you show Sage around?" Rick asked. "Introduce her to the rest of the group?"

"Sure," Daryl replied. "Come on..."

He jerked his head at Sage and walked out of the room. She gulped and followed him, saying a silent prayer that the group would accept her.

* * *

Rick looked around the group. Maggie, Beth and Patricia were with Hershel in the kitchen, but the rest of the group was crowded into the living room. Shane was on the couch, in between Glenn and T-Dog, while Dale and Carol leaned against the nearby wall and Andrea sat on the piano bench. Lori was still upstairs with Carl, but she had already shared her opinion with Rick. Daryl leaned against the front door, glancing out the window every couple minutes to make sure Sage was still sitting on the porch.

Sage had been introduced to the whole group, and they were now deciding on whether or not to allow her to stay.

"She seems like a sweet young woman," Carol spoke up.

"I like her," Dale added.

"I've got no problem with her," Andrea agreed.

"She's not dangerous," Glenn said.

"Shane? T-Dog?" Rick looked at the two men, who gave him a nod of approval.

"So, we're all agreed?" Daryl asked.

"Bring her in," Rick replied.

Daryl slid out the front door, and returned moments later, Sage by his side. Rick motioned for her to come further into the room and she did, walking slowly into the middle of the living room. She glanced around at the group before turning her attention back to Rick.

"If you stay here, you become one of us," he began. "You work with us; you do your part. We'll care for you like one of our own, but any hint that you're going to turn on us, you're outta here. Deal?"

Sage was speechless. They were actually accepting her, letting her join them...

"Uh, deal," she finally stuttered out. "Thank you..."

* * *

Sage walked toward the camp site. Glenn and Maggie were talking as she approached them, but they turned to each give her a small smile.

"Hey, can I ask you guys a favor?" Sage asked. "If you can't do it, I completely understand... I mean, you don't really know me, I don't know you-"

"Whatcha need?" Maggie interrupted, a smirk tugging at the edges of her mouth.

"I heard you two have to make a run back into town," Sage continued. "I know this is a lot to ask, but can you swing by the old liquor store? I was camping there, and my bag is still there...I know I should've grabbed it this morning, but I guess I wasn't thinking..."

"Sure," Glenn shrugged. "What's it look like?"

"Small, leather backpack," Sage replied. "My denim jacket should be tied to it."

"We'll find it," Maggie smiled.

"Thanks," Sage said.

"No problem," Glenn assured.

Sage left the two to continue their conversation, and slowly walked over to the laundry line where Carol sat, sorting through the baskets. The older woman saw Sage coming and waved.

"Hi," the brunette greeted. "Need some help?"

"I'd love some," Carol replied. "I'm trying to keep the colors separated as I hang them up..."

Sage nodded and took a basket. The two women worked for a few minutes, until Sage broke the silence.

"So, do you have any family?" she asked.

"A daughter," Carol sighed. "She went missing a few days ago, but we're still looking."

"I'm so sorry," Sage closed her eyes as she added, "I feel like an idiot now."

"Don't..." the older woman shook her head. "We'll find her. God's watching out for her..." When Sage didn't reply, she added, "Are you a believer?"

"I am," Sage replied. "It's just hard sometimes..."

Carol slid an arm around Sage's shoulders, and gave her a quick hug before moving on to a new basket.

* * *

Daryl sat on the edge of the old fireplace, thoughts racing through his mind as he carved out another arrow. He kept thinking about Sage, replaying her actions in his mind, and trying to figure her out. He cursed himself for wanting to know more, but he couldn't help it; she was a mystery to him...

"I can hear you back there," Daryl mumbled.

Sage walked into his view, a sheepish smile on her face. She sat on the other end of the old fireplace, and stared out at the field.

"Thanks for saving my life this morning," the brunette spoke up.

"Somethin' anyone woulda done..." Daryl shrugged.

"You don't take complements well, do ya?" Sage chuckled.

Daryl felt the tips of his ears begin to burn as he glanced up at Sage. Why was she getting such a reaction out of him...?

* * *

**I know there wasn't much Daryl/Sage interaction, but I'll try to get some in the next couple chapters. I don't want to go too fast, but I don't want to take it super slow either. :/ I also want to let Sage and Carol interact and build a friendship. One more thing, I think this is starting around the time of _Cherokee Rose_ or maybe right before... :)  
**

**I love reviews and constructive criticism, so feel free to let me know what you though. :)**

**Kristy :3**


	3. Fitting In

**There are no excuses for the delay in the posting of this chapter; I am sooo sorry! :( But my life has been very hectic; I started a blog and now have a Twitter (links are in my profile), and I'm starting my training in my new job. :) Anyway, here's the next chapter, and thanks for being patient!**

**Thank you to _bnburke90_ and _rylee_ (guest) for leaving the reviews! I really appreciate your time and loyalty!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own _The Walking Dead_ or Daryl (dang it!)...but Sage is mine.**

* * *

Sage sat on the steps of the farmhouse, her gaze flickering between the camp and the long driveway. She leaned forward, throwing a brief glance over her shoulder before sighing and resting her elbows on her knees. Sage's anxiety was still over-riding her sympathy; she wanted to check on the boy and see if she could help, but didn't want to risk interrupting a family moment.

The screen door creaked and slammed shut, and Sage turned to see Hershel approaching her. His eyes were shining, but his expression gave away nothing.

"You lookin' for something?" he asked. "You've been sitting out here for half-an-hour..."

"Sorry..." Sage frowned.

"Don't apologize," Hershel shook his head, finally giving the brunette a slight smile. "You can sit here as long as you want, but if you're lookin' for something or someone, it might help you if you just ask..."

"I'm waiting for Glenn and Maggie to get back from the town," Sage explained. "They said they'd get my stuff. I left it behind when Daryl and Rick brought me back with them..."

Hershel nodded and walked down the stairs, and Sage watched until he went around back.

"Least I got everybody's names right," the brunette muttered. "I think..."

* * *

Sage walked into the camp site and joined Andrea, who was trying to set up the chairs for lunch.

"Need some help?" the brunette offered.

Andrea nodded and the two women worked and scurried around the camp, until Sage broke the silence.

"You're probably gonna think I've lost it or something," she began. "But can you tell me your name again...?"

"I'm Andrea," the blonde replied with an amused smile.

"I'm still trying to figure out who everybody is," Sage said. "It's confusing..."

"You'll figure it out pretty quick," Andrea shrugged. "You'll fit in before you know it. Just don't let Dale boss you around; he likes to run people's lives for them..."

Sage nodded slowly; there was definitely some issues between Andrea and Dale, but she didn't want to press any further. Instead, she moved to the fire pit and worked on building a cooking fire.

As the flames grew, Sage studied the flicker of orange, allowing the smell and crackle of the fire to calm her nerves. She still couldn't quite wrap her mind around what had happened that day, but she knew she wanted to stay with this group; she felt safe, safer than she had in a long time...

Something brushed her arm, and she jumped back to see Daryl crouching beside her. He raised an eyebrow at her before dropping a bloody, burlap bag on the ground between them.

"It's just me," he muttered. "I've got supper, so ya might wanna get a frying pan..."

Daryl watched as Sage searched the camp site for a pan. She finally found one and held it up with a triumphant grin on her face as she walked back to the fire pit and knelt down.

"What am I cooking?" Sage asked, peeking in the bag.

"Squirrel," Daryl grunted, watching her face. When she didn't react, he added, "Killed 'em and skinned 'em just now..."

Sage reached into the bag and pulled out some of the meat. She studied it for a minute before piling it in the pan and propping the pan over the fire. She glanced at Daryl to see him watching her with a small smirk on his face.

"I've eaten weirder things," the brunette shrugged.

"You ain't the only one," Daryl agreed.

After a few minutes, Sage pulled the pan out of the fire and smelled the contents. With a nod, she switched out the cooked meat for another batch of uncooked meat. She repeated the process until all of the squirrel meat was cooked and portioned out onto plates. Daryl watched her the entire time, slightly impressed with her skills, but he kept his expression emotionless.

"Food's ready," she announced.

* * *

The group was gathered in the camp and silently eating, when Glenn wandered in and approached Sage. He smiled and handed her a bundle.

"Got your stuff," he said.

"Great!"

Sage jumped up and gave him a quick hug before sitting back in her seat. She opened her bag and dug through it, breathing a sigh of relief when she found all her belongings still in the bag. She wrapped her jacket around her shoulders and closed her eyes as she breathed in. The smell of the worn denim was comfortingly familiar as she slipped her arms through the sleeves.

"Thank you, Glenn," Sage said quietly, smiling at the young man.

After everyone finished with their portions, Sage helped Lori and Carol gather all of the dirty dishes and pile them in the bucket of soapy water.

"If you want to go for a walk or something, I can handle these," Carol offered.

"You sure you don't need any help?" Sage asked.

"It's okay," Lori assured with a small smile. "Go explore, but don't go too far; it's getting dark out..."

Sage nodded as she slung her bag over her shoulder and adjusted the strap so it rode securely across her torso. She wandered around the farm, enjoying the peace and quiet of the country, until she reached the path leading to the old barn. She started to walk toward the broken-down building when she heard footsteps behind her. A hand slipping to her gun, she turned to see Shane jogging up to her.

"I wouldn't go over there if I were you," he warned. "Hershel says it's off-limits."

"Okay," Sage shrugged as she looked at Shane.

The setting sun threw shadows across his face, but his dark eyes were gleaming in the golden light. Sage felt a tiny shiver run down her spine as she met his gaze; something was off, something in his eyes...

"Better get back to camp," Shane said. "You find somewhere to sleep yet?"

"Yeah," the brunette lied. "I'm all set."

"All right," he nodded. "Let us know if you need something..."

Sage followed Shane as a distance, matching his long, confident stride. The sun had completely disappeared behind the trees by the time Sage got back to the camp, and she stopped before she reached the soft glow of the campfire.

"Just walk in, and ask for a place to sleep," Sage muttered to herself. "Not that hard..."

But she couldn't bring herself to do it.

With a sigh, Sage trudged away from the camp. She wanted to join the camp, but she still felt out of place in the group. She reached the old pickup truck and stared at it for a moment before clambering into the back. Using her bag as a pillow and her jacket as a make-do blanket, she stretched out on the cold, metal bed of the pickup. Sage closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep with just one thought on her mind: she had to make a place in the group for herself, she just had to...

* * *

Sage woke with a start and rolled over to see Hershel shaking her arm. She jerked away and sat up; it was just past sunrise and the sky was streaked with gold and pink. Even with the circumstances, it was a pleasant sight and one that reminded Sage of her childhood. Her mood quickly fell, however, as Hershel's voice cut through her thoughts.

"What are you doing?" He asked, narrowing his eyes at the sleepy brunette.

"I-I was sleeping, I think," she mumbled.

"No, what are you doing right here?"

Sage felt her stomach twist as she realized where she was. Maybe sleeping in the old pickup hadn't been such a good idea...

"This was the only place I could find..." She frowned.

"C'mon," Hershel jerked his head toward the house. "We need to talk..."

* * *

Daryl ambled along the path that lead from his camp to the farmhouse, his worn crossbow slung over one shoulder. He glanced around, alert to all the noises around him, and took in a deep breath of clean, morning air. He tried to focus on the day's tasks, but his mind kept floating back to one particular subject. He didn't want or need to know anything about Sage Mason; at least, that was what he was trying to tell himself...but he felt like his curiosity was about to go into overload, which infuriated him.

Daryl growled as he kicked at a rock and watched it skitter down the path. Just what was so special about this girl...?

He was walking past the house when he heard voices, or at least, they sounded like voices. Pausing to listen, Daryl tilted his head toward the house and after a moment, slowly followed the sound around the side of the old building. He stopped when he saw the source of the noise.

Hershel and Rick were facing Sage, the two men scowling at the brunette. Daryl felt a slight twist in his stomach when he saw her hands trembling, but he quickly pushed it to the back of his mind as he strode toward the group.

"You shouldn't have done that, Sage," Rick shook his head. "You should've talked to me first."

"What'd she do?" Daryl questioned, moving to stand near Sage.

"She slept in the back of the truck last night," Hershel sighed.

"You what?!" Daryl's head whipped around.

"I swear I didn't hurt the truck!" Sage cried. "All I did was stretch out in the back..."

"The truck is not the issue here," Hershel assured, running a hand through his hair.

"Then what-"

"You were alone," Rick interrupted. "It's not safe for you to be out there in the open, much less alone."

Sage bit her lip. She knew Rick was right, but didn't know how to explain her side...

"I had to sleep somewhere," Sage finally protested. "And I couldn't-I didn't want to put anybody out."

"I'll see if I can find someone for you to bunk with," Rick suggested. "Then we'll working on getting you your own tent if you want."

Sage nodded slowly before turning to Hershel.

"I'm sorry," she said in a quiet voice.

"No harm done," he replied with a small shrug, a hint of sympathy in his eyes.

Sage let out a long breath as she walked away from the group. Daryl started after her but stopped when Rick grabbed his arm.

"Keep an eye on her," Rick said in a low voice.

Daryl nodded and followed Sage around to the front of the farmhouse. She walked down toward the lake, with Daryl right on her tail as she strolled out onto the bridge and took a seat on the edge. Daryl crouched down beside her and she crossed her arms as they looked out at the rippling water.

"If ya need a place to sleep, you shoulda just asked," Daryl grumbled.

"You followed me all the way out here," Sage quirked an eyebrow. "Just to tell me that?"

"You're not listenin'," Daryl shook his head. "You're with us now; if ya need somethin', just ask..."

"Look who's talking," the brunette shot back. "You don't exactly seem like one to ask for help."

"I'm not talkin' about me," Daryl growled. "I'm talking about you being stupid and puttin' yourself in danger!"

"Well, I'm fine," Sage rolled her eyes. "So can we just drop it?"

"Stubborn little..." Daryl's gravelly voice trailed off as he stood and walked back to the edge of the bank.

* * *

**Well, I'm trying to work in as much Daryl/Sage interaction as I can, but she seems to have other ideas... xD Also, who should Sage stay with at this point? Daryl's out of the question, at least for now, so perhaps Carol? Let me know who you prefer! :)  
**

**I'd love to know what you thought, so feel free to leave a review! But please, no flames...**

**Kristy :3**


	4. Supply Run

**Argh, I feel like a rotten writer... Life has gotten soooo busy lately, I can't even think straight half the time. :P I'm on Spring Break right now, and I think that's the only reason I've been able to get this written. :) Also, I can't believe the season is almost over! :o Eeek...!  
**

**Thank you to _ILuvOdie_, _MonkeysGoBoo_, _MagiaMyst_, _PrincessPipi_, _bnburke90_, and _TooLazyToLogin_ for the reviews! 6 reviews for 1 chapter, I am amazed! :) :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own _The Walking Dead_, but Sage is mine. I might have to share her with Daryl in the near future, though... ;)  
**

* * *

Sage plodded down the path toward the campsite. She gave Andrea a friendly nod before approaching Rick.

"Hey, Rick," she greeted. "I heard you were planning another supply run..."

"Yeah, I am," he nodded.

"I can do it..." Sage offered.

There was a moment of silence as he thought. Rick finally nodded and Sage let out the breath she hadn't realized she was holding.

"I'll get you a list within an hour," he said.

"Right," Sage turned to walk away, but stopped long enough to add, "Thanks, Rick...I mean it, thank you."

Rick looked her in the eye and gave her the slightest smile.

"Just get back in one piece..."

* * *

Sage checked her Glock, disassembling it and reassembling it with ease. It had become a habit with her, working with her gun or knife to calm her nerves. Not that there was too much to nervous about; it would be a simple in-and-out run to town for supplies. At least that's what she was trying to tell herself...

"Heard you're goin' on the supply run," Daryl's voice cut through her thoughts.

"You heard right," Sage replied.

Daryl let out a gravelly sigh and leaned against the table. He watched as she began to take the Glock apart again. She glanced up at him for a minute, her hands still working with the gun, and gave him a soft smile.

"Need something?" she asked.

"You're good at that..." Daryl mumbled, his gaze focused on her hands.

"Years of practice," the brunette chuckled.

Daryl watched in silence as Sage finished reassembling the gun. She shoved the gun in her bag and turned to face Daryl.

"I gotta get going," she announced. "I'll be back in a couple hours."

"You shouldn't go alone," Daryl said. "Town could be full'a walkers."

"Well, somebody's gotta go," Sage shrugged. "And it's time for me to contribute something to the group."

"I'll go with ya," Daryl offered. "Ain't got nothin' else to do..."

Sage smiled. She had half-expected this from Daryl, this or his protests that she shouldn't put herself in danger...but at least he wasn't trying to stop her. She had seen that he could be over-protective, but Sage accepted it because it meant that the lonely hunter was allowing himself to get closer to her, that he was trying to trust her...

"I'm driving the pickup," Sage said matter-of-factly. "And I hope you don't get carsick; I'm a speed demon..."

"I like speed," Daryl smirked, a hint of challenge in his eyes.

"You've been warned," the brunette said, mirroring his smirk.

* * *

"You weren't kiddin' when you said you were a speed demon, were ya?" Daryl grunted as he slammed into the side of the door.

"I tried to warn you," the brunette shrugged.

Sage chuckled as she took another corner, sliding Daryl halfway across the seat.

"That does it," he growled. "I'm drivin' on the way back..."

"Fine with me."

The truck pulled onto the main road of the abandoned town, and Sage slowed down as she and Daryl checked the roads for walkers. Sage stopped the truck in front of the pharmacy and turned off the engine. Daryl slid out of the cab, holding his bow at the ready as he scanned the surrounding area. When he was satisfied that it was clear, he lowered his weapon and turned to Sage, who was crouching near the hood with her Glock in hand.

"Where we goin' first?" he asked.

"I wanna check out the furniture store," Sage replied.

"What for?" Daryl raised an eyebrow.

"Well, you're just full of questions this morning, aren't ya?" the brunette chuckled.

Sage turned and walked down the street. Daryl frowned and jogged after her.

"You didn't answer my question," he said.

"I have a stash," Sage explained. "When I found this town, I looted the sporting goods store...got all the ammo and weapons I could find and hid them."

"Really?" Daryl perked up. "Is that why Rick let you go on this run?"

"No," Sage shook her head. "I didn't tell him; I wanted to surprise him when we got back...kinda make up for my stunt with the truck, I guess..."

The pair continued down the street in silence as Daryl processed her words. Sage was working to fit in with the group, and he couldn't help but admire her determination. She was a very strong young woman, as well as an attractive one...

It was Daryl's turn to shake his head as he forced those thoughts out of his head. Sage was still an unknown element, and Daryl tried to convince himself that she needed to stay that way.

"I'll be right back," Sage broke the silence once they reached the furniture store. "I know right where I hid the bag..."

* * *

"I should keep a couple of these Glock clips," Sage remarked.

She continued to dig through the gun bag as Daryl drove the pickup. He glanced over and huffed as he saw her admiring one of the guns.

"You like guns, don't ya?" Daryl asked.

"I've grown up with them," the brunette replied. "My best friend and I used to go shooting every day...kept me out of the house..."

Sage's voice trailed off, and his curiosity was piqued yet again. He opened to his mouth to question her, but he couldn't think of a right way to say what was on his mind.

"What was he like, your best friend?" Daryl finally questioned, deciding to play it safe.

"He was the sweetest guy ever," Sage smiled. "We grew up together; he taught me everything I know about survival..."

"Where is he now?"

Sage frowned and Daryl could've sworn her saw her stiffen slightly as she looked out the window.

"We...lost track of each other," she answered. "Then this whole walker thing happened..."

"Lotta things changed after the walkers showed up," Daryl sighed.

"Do you think it'll ever end?" Sage looked at Daryl, her hazel eyes flashing. "Can we beat the walkers?"

"We can try," he shrugged.

"Maybe someone can find a cure," the brunette said. "There has to be a way to stop this from continuing."

"Can't cure 'em," Daryl grunted. "Just gotta take as many of 'em out as we can."

Sage shifted in the seat to tuck her legs up under her as she leaned against the window. She rested one hand on the gun bag and slipped the other between her head and the window, providing a small cushion as the truck bounced along the dirt road. She watched as Daryl glanced around, his eyes narrowing at each sign of movement. Something about this redneck was attracting her, and she wasn't sure if she liked it or not...

* * *

**Not my best, but at least we're moving along. I'm still working out bits and pieces of Sage's background, but trust me, more will be revealed soon... :)**

**Feel free to leave a review, but try not to flame, okay? :)**

**Kristy :3**


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